More pupils make the grade

SALFORD schools are celebrating a massive boost in standards. The results of tests taken by all 11-year-olds in England reveal a huge improvement in key skills over the past year across the city's 81 primaries.

There were also big steps at Button Lane primary in Northern Moor - which improved its overall rating from 155 to 225. St Edward's RC in Rusholme and Aspinal primary in Gorton also made significant inroads.

But there was disappointment at some schools, with overall scores falling from 279 to 214 at St Margaret Mary's RC school in Moston and by 50 points to 200 at Ringway primary in Wythenshawe.

The city's schools are among the best performers in the country for their value added scores - the measure of how much progress children make compared to early expectations.

But the council is still the joint 11th worst out of 150 English authorities for schools' overall scores, although that is an improvement on last year.

Across the region, almost all local authorities mirrored a national rise in standards.

Trafford primary kids scored the highest overall results in Greater Manchester and the fourth in the country, achieving a combined total of 261 - an increase of seven points on last year's disappointing score.

There was also a five point increase in Oldham, where the average total was 245, and also progress at Wigan schools where the average was 250, up from 246.

There was improvement at Stockport which increased by three points to 256. There was a slight rise at Bury schools, where the combined score was 253. Bolton primaries raised their average from 244 to 246.

Average results at Rochdale schools remained unchanged at 242 and Tameside increased its score by two points to 247.

Standards also increased nationally, with increases in the number of pupils reaching the government targets in English, maths and science.

On average 80 per cent of youngsters showed they had the expected reading and writing skills - up from 79 per cent.

And 77 per cent were able to multiply and divide correctly in their maths - again a one per cent increase. This was also the same increase in science results, where 88 per cent met government standards.